Pilot to give evidence at hearing today

Press, 24 February 1986, Page 5

Pilot to give evidence at hearing today

PA Wellington The preliminary inquiry into the Mikhail Lermontov sinking is expected to take its last sworn statement today with the questioning of the Marlborough Harbour Board pilot, Captain Don Jamison.

Since the sinking eight days ago Captain Jamison has taken legal advice and made no public statement about the affair.

Captain Steve Ponsford, who heads the inquiry, said last evening that Captain Jamison would be questioned today from 9.30 a.m. to about 1 p.m.

Evidence was taken from the last of the Russian crew from the liner, and the masters of the inter-island ferry Arahura, the LPG tanker Tarihiko and the naval patrol boat Taupo at the week-end.

Captain Ponsford said he was happy -with the way the taking of evidence had gone since the inquiry began on Tuesday.

“We now have the onerous job of writing the report but I’m quite confi-

dent we will have it completed by the end of the week,” he said. The preliminary inquiry is charged with establishing the main reason or reasons for the cruise ship’s grounding and will recommend to the Minister of Transport, Mr Prebble, whether a full inquiry is needed. Three Soviet investigators who arrived in Wellington on Saturday to try to determine the cause of the sinking and assess the chances of salvaging the liner, yesterday visited Port Gore by helicopter.